Page 135 - Aussie Magazine - 2024 Issue 3

Retained testicles, or cryptorchidism, may involve one

or both testicles. It is due to errors in development.

The testicle forms near the in a pouch outside the body. Retained testicles are sex
spine and migrates from there There is also an increased risk limited in that, for obvious
down into the scrotum. It is of testicular cancer; however, reasons, only a male can have
attached to a ligament that this cancer is rare in dogs them. However the genes
lengthens as it migrates and so the overall risk to health that control formation and
once the testicle is in place may be minor. Locating and descent of the testes into
the opening into the scrotum removing the retained testicle the scrotum are not on the Y
requires abdominal surgery,
from the abdomen narrows,
CRYPTORCHIDISM holding it in place. Sometimes the extent of which can (male) chromosome, so either
sex can have and pass the
vary with the location of the
the testicle goes off-course,
sometimes the ligament isn’t retained testicle. Surgery also genes. Because of the variety
long enough or contracts carries risk. Discuss the issue of errors in physical structure
(almost 5% of young puppies with your vet. of the testicles and related
with descended testicles
later permanently retracted
them – 2009-10 ASHGI health
survey), or the opening closes
too soon (or the testicle arrives
too late) preventing it from
descending. While the medical
terminology for the condition
is “cryptorchid,” dog jargon
uses that word to mean both
testicles undescended and
“monorchid” for one.

Generally speaking, if the
testicles have not descended
by 4 months of age they
probably won’t. However, they
will sometimes come down
later, even several months
later though this is extremely This is a disqualifying fault, or adjacent tissues that can
unusual. If the dog is of good so an affected dog could not cause a testicle to be retained,
quality, give him some time to compete in conformation. inheritance is probably
see what happens. Retained The 2009-10 ASHGI health complex. Do not breed affected
testicles are not desirable, survey found 4% of males are males. Parents and full and
mostly because testicles affected, a disturbingly high half siblings of an affected dog
retained within the body cavity frequency for something that should not be bred close on
are sterile. The sterility is is not only a disqualifying the pedigree that produced
caused by the body heat – the fault but which renders some it nor to mates with a family
reason they normally reside males completely sterile. history of retained testicles.

A Worldwide Magazine for the Aussie • Issue 3/2024 | 135